Lawsuit may have forced Microsoft to change what it means to be Vista Capable

Two weeks ago, Dianne Kelley started a class-action
lawsuit against Microsoft alleging the software company is engaging in
deceptive practices by branding new computers with a Windows Vista Capable
logo even if they couldn't run the all the new operating system’s features.

Although Microsoft strongly refutes Kelley’s claims, the
threat of a lawsuit may have triggered the company to change its language on
what “Vista Capable” means. As clipped by a blog at the Seattle
Times, Microsoft originally described its Windows Vista Capable program
as the following (all bold emphasis added by Seattle Times author):

“Through the Windows Vista Capable program, Windows XP-based PCs
that are powerful enough to run Windows Vista are now available from
leading PC manufacturers worldwide, including Acer Inc., Dell Inc., Fujitsu
Limited, Gateway Inc., HP, Lenovo, NEC Corp., Sony Corp., Toshiba and more. The
Windows Vista Capable logo is designed to assure customers that the PCs they
buy today will be ready for an upgrade to Windows Vista and can run the core
experiences of Windows Vista.”

Shortly following
the news of the lawsuit, the explanation of the Windows Vista Capable program
appeared to have changed to this:

“A new PC running Windows XP that carries the Windows Vista Capable PC
logo can run Windows Vista. All editions of Windows Vista will deliver core
experiences such as innovations in organizing and finding information,
security, and reliability. All Windows Vista Capable PCs will run these core
experiences at a minimum. Some features available in the premium editions
of Windows Vista — like the new Windows Aero user experience — may require advanced
or additional hardware.”

While both the original and updated descriptions mention
that Vista Capable means being able to run the “core experience,” the updated
passage clearly states those experiences will run at a minimum.

Comments

Threshold

Username

Password

remember me

This article is over a month old, voting and posting comments is disabled

Yes you should know, without having ambiguity like the vista ready badge.

I think you don't get it. Vista is XP with a few tweaks (to GUI), except for the UNDESIRABLE aspects. So essentially I feel Vista basic < XP Home.

It is no offsetting factor that there are multiple versions of vista, that's quite WHY it is so important to stipulate exactly how appropriate any particular PC is, not just a generic badge on it. If we claim a prospective buyer should do the research, then by the same token the badge shouldn't exist at all as it was meant to be an alternate path instead of that research.

Did you not read what he posted?Have not actually read the Vista packaging?Have you done any research on Vista at all?

Explain to me, if it is just XP Tweaked, why there have been so many hickups in the process of bringing software up to date to run with it?

Do you know what differentiates one OS from another? It is not the GUI. It is the kernel. I would expect people in this kind of forum to know what a kernel is, and how to seperate it from the GUI.

The interface could be the exact same interface tweaked, retooled, and recompiled, but if the kernel is different, then everything else is going to run different.

Most of the problems that people are experiencing are because they assume it is XP upgraded. It is not. It is like buying a cat, and wondering why it barks funny.

Please people, before you go running your mouths off, look at both sides of the story, not just the bad or good press. Look at the subject of your conversation, and think about it.

The labels I have seen were pretty self explanitory, and the machines that said they were Premium ready were all pretty high end. The ones that said Vista Capable by the time I saw them, already had some version of Vista on them and running, even if it was only Basic.

If you have a low end machine, then make sure it meets the specs, and get basic. Don't install Ultimate and expect it all to play nice with your old hardware.

Believe me, I am no fan of Microsoft, and I happen to like older hardware now and then, but this is getting just plain dumb.

When you post, post with your mind, not with your ego. If you get pissed off by something someone types, then wait till you cool down to respond. Think about facts, not hype. And most of all, if you are going to state that something is a true fact, then make sure that it is first!